After reading a few of the other reviews I felt like throwing my 2 cents worth. First of all, I am amazed and love the fact that Diebenkorn has recieved so much press. Its a shame he was shunned from the New York art world when he was alive.(Although, I don't think he was terribly upset by this) I didn't even hear of him untill I went to England to do my M.A.! I bought my first book of his then in 94'. I think its whitechaple press. In any case, this book is much more complete with great- great photos and essays. It is pure joy. The biggest problem I have with the book is trying to keep it out of my studio, so as not to get paint on it. If you happen to go to the San Francisco MOMA check out their nice collection of his work!

For an art lover Diebenkorn has the rare gift of sharing the sensation of painting. Lucious, sensual and pricise color harmonies, and those rythmic intervals. For a european it is another one of those deserving american miracles that such an artist gets a catalog and museum exhibition like this. The text is as precise as Diebenkorns color harmonies, and shows in depth great concern and understanding of his art and time.

Im one of Diebenkorn's fans, and this book is whatever you want if you like colorism, and pure painting! highly recommended!

Running across a Howard Hodgkin exhibition forever revolutionized my formerly negative view of modern art. It has opened my soul to new areas of art enjoyment not experienced previously. This book has many plates of his work and provides very interesting reading. Let his beautiful art and colors wash over you... Enjoy!

This well illustrated and multifaceted book is an important addition to any library. If only for Marla Price's catalogue raisonne a very valuble addition not in other publications about this important artist. I found the exchange of letters from Hodgkin to John Elderfield insightfull and full of the sort of detail on techniques hard to find elsewhere.

Michael Auping has written a compassionate opening essay on this sensitive man and the development of his work.

Susan Sontag writes about Hodgkin and art after modernism,with a wry and wonderfull humour.

All of these writings are punctuated with marvellous colour plates.

This book is a must.

Gillian Solomon. END

Having missed the 1998 NEW YORK exibition because i live 400 milles from the city, i could catch up with that book that i found well done. PIERRE BONNARD is one of the artist i admire the most. For those of you unfamiliar with him, i suggest you buy ANTOINE TERRASSE's book. It's not to expensive and it is worth it.His works often have a dreamlike atmosphere to them ,and his wife MARTHE has been represented in the bathtub many times.Among BONNARD's friends were the NATHANSON:THADEE the editor of the REVUE BLANCHE and his beautiful WIFE MISIA, who was fond of artists;VUILLARD was his lifelong friend, and PIERRE had a long correspondance with HENRI MATISSE. When they met, they used to compare eachother's works.

This relatively modest book is nevertheless the single best work to have appeared on Matisse's great cut-outs (with the exception of a 1977 National Gallery of Art catalogue), which he made from 1947-1954. John Elderfield's essay discusses the genesis of the cut-outs, and places them in the context of 20th century art in an elegant manner which is refreshingly free of art-historical jargon. Elderfield's essay is followed by a section of color plates which, for the most part, are superbly designed and arranged. Matisse's delicious eye-candy is allowed to speak for itself. The reader is continually dazzled by the purity of color and simplicity of form, and the chronological arrangement of the plates seems to re-create the genesis of the works as they evolved in the artist's mind. However, the single problem I have with this otherwise nearly perfect book is that a number of the plates are far too small, particularly the illustration of the "Large Decoration With ! Masks," which reduces a 30-foot cut-out to the size of a postage stamp, neatly destroying any ability to imagine the beauty of the original work. Also, the color reproduction could be better - the plates, except in one particular print run I have come across, have an odd, bleached or washed-out look that lessens the impact of Matisse's colors. Nevertheless, I still recommend the book for its excellent design and writing. It is a marvelous introduction to the aesthetics behind some of the most simple yet beautiful works of 20th century art.

Long before the beat movement or the hippies comes such a beautiful work from one of the most honest and daring individuals to ever live and then be forgotten in this world. The title says it best. Hugo Ball is probably the most important guide (in my life). You should read this and see if any of it rubs off on you.

This book covers the structural anatomy with pin-point accuracy. Though this isn't really an anatomy book by title, by examining Prud'hon's structural techniques, one can easily see all of college's artistic anatomy classes in one of his graphics.

Walter Benjamin's "the object IS the theory" certainly complies with this marvellous book. Lots of pics and intelligent texts make a very important catalogue of new insights in art history. Although art historians know lots of the depicted art works already, this book re-orders them in quite a startling and refreshing way, telling the story of early modern art in a very concrete and no-nonsense, but richly articulated way. Wonderful imaginative associations with the classic moderns we all had are now elevated in this new canon. The theories on which this catalogue are based are simple and instructive, enlightening.

This oversized volume documents a retrospective exhibition devoted to Matisse which was held at the Museum of Modern Art in late 1992 and early 1993. The largest Matisse exhibition ever staged, it is unlikely that this massive curatorial event will ever be repeated. For devotees of Matisse, this book is an essential addition to your library, although there is little here that has not been previously published and discussed many times in earlier exhibitions. I think this book is more useful for those individuals who have just been introduced to this artist's work - it is a marvelous one-volume survey, clearly organized into seven chronological sections covering the entirety of Matisse's life, and showcasing his finest pictures. For those readers looking for more than just reproductions, however, the book is less satisfying. Elderfield's introductory essay is virtually incomprehensible for anyone who isn't already familiar with the matisse literature, and is poorly coordinated with the catalogue itself - there is no discussion of the individual paintings actually in the exhibition, or their interrelationships. The chronology of the artist's life is useful, but no more than bare bones history. This book is chiefly a visual pleasure and a fine document of a great exhibition. However, having seen the exhibition myself, I must inform the reader that many of the photographs in the book were received from non-MOMA sources, and there are variations in quality among the images. The bulk of the reproductions are just too dark, lending Matisse's pictures a muddy look that they do not possess in reality. I wish someone had bothered to compare the photos to the paintings before they sent the book to press. Still, if you buy only one book on Matisse, this should be it.

This book goes through all of his different periods in his life; including many full-color plates which display the pictures described in the text. Definately a must have!

One of the places that most inspired Matisse was Morocco, a country of huge contrasts, vivid colors and dramatic landscapes .
I missed the landmark exhibition for which this book served as the catalog, but I purchased it after vacationing in Morocco. Matisse's view of the country emphasizes the colors of Moroccan cities and landscapes -- intense orange-reds and azure bluesz. It is also informed and inspired by Moroccan design, which combines Mediterranean and Islamic elements to beautiful effect.